


Two, Three, Four

by RainbowArches



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Fluff, Multi, Open Relationships, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-20
Updated: 2014-11-20
Packaged: 2018-02-26 08:39:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2645378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowArches/pseuds/RainbowArches
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Extending invitations and building relationships.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Two, Three, Four

Phil brought Audrey in. Melinda was surprised. When they were laying down the rules for their relationship, they agreed she could sleep with other people, because she liked plain old-fashioned sex, and he could date other people, because he liked plain old-fashioned dating. They knew right away it didn’t have to be just the two of them. In fact they liked the idea of bringing someone else in, but they learned through Nick that that wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Nick didn’t pick up on the hints, or if he did he ignored them. They tried the blunt approach. Separately. That was a mistake. He said no both times. They asked him together why not. He said he hadn’t realised they had each been asking on behalf of the two of them. Clearly they were not very smart about these things. So they asked again, together, hoping they’d get a different answer. They didn’t. 

Melinda and Phil were not easily discouraged, and they knew they could get away with certain persistence because they knew they were adorable. They asked again when he became director.

“You are aware of the no fraternization policy, right? It’s not a policy I care about, but the people I answer to will jump on any incentive to take this job away from me, so please, guys, stop asking.” 

Maybe they were a little overconfident. Suitable chastised, they stopped asking. Until Nick started to feel more assured in his position (or at least acted like it), and got his eye mauled in a mission that pretty much secured him as director no matter what, and started flirting back and got drunk with the two of them and woke up between them naked. They tested their luck one last time.

“Fine.”

“Yay!”

After that they figured three was enough. Making a relationship bigger than two was hard and they weren’t very good at it. Melinda and Phil still did their own thing outside the relationship when they wanted and when they had time. Nick didn’t because he didn’t want to and he didn’t have time, though he assured them he was fine with them doing whatever with whomever, as long as he didn’t have to hear about it. It was a good fit, the three of them. They didn’t fight much. Phil cooked, Nick cleaned, Melinda did ran whatever errands needed to be run. Nick and Phil’s favorite pastime was fighting over what movie to watch and then making fun of everything in the movie. Melinda had her own space for quiet time and tai chi and just being by herself for a while, which Nick and Phil respectfully avoided. Everything was wonderfully functional.

So Melinda was surprised when Phil broached the subject of bringing a fourth person in. Nick just shrugged noncommittally. “I don’t mind.” He’d been on the other side of the whole process. Melinda remembered having to gather the courage to extend the invite. Several times. “Audrey Nathan, right?”

“Yeah,” said Phil, supressing a goofy grin. Obviously he was smitten.

“Have you talked to her about it yet?”

“Yes. She’s interested in meeting you two.”

“Sounds like it’s already going better than last time. Okay, let’s meet her.”

Phil brought her over that weekend, introducing her in a bashfully boastful sort of way. She smiled shyly and shook their hands, stayed close to Phil as an anchor, kept tucking her hair behind her ear, was quietly cheerful the whole time. She was adorable. Nick actually melted. Melinda had never seen him do that before. She stayed late but she didn’t sleep over that first night. The four of them went to dinner a couple of times before she came over to their house again. That time they watched a movie. She sat between Nick and Melinda while Phil made popcorn. Nick’s arms were stretched across the back of the couch and she tucked herself against his side easily. Melinda’s hand rested comfortably on Audrey’s ankle. That night she slept over, and that’s when they decided to buy a bigger bed.

Melinda and Audrey were both early risers. Morning was their favorite time. Melinda would extract herself from the bed to do her tae chi and make coffee and tea. When she went back Audrey would be sitting up reading, unable to disentangle herself from Phil and Nick who had wrapped their arms tightly around her waist. She wiggle her hips as if she were about to get up, and they’d sulkily hold her tighter and bury their faces into her sides. She and Melinda would roll their eyes at each other. Melinda would go downstairs and get the two of them a cup of tea. She’d sit at the foot of the bed and they’d chat quietly. When Nick and Phil woke up they’d complain and whine that they weren’t getting coffee brought up to them. It was the only thing that got them out of bed.

Audrey took advantage of the empty house to practice. Melinda and Phil were usually home first. Nick followed a few hours later. It was rare that all three of them were available for Audrey’s concerts at the same time. She learned not to wear herself out on the cello during the day because they would often request her to play for them in the evening. 

Melinda’s biggest concern about bringing Audrey in was that the house would start to feel crowded. But Audrey actually made them excited to go home in a way they hadn’t been before. Melinda, Phil and Nick went to work together and went home together. They didn’t miss each other; they were around each other all the time. Sure, one of them would get called away for a while, but they were long used to that. Audrey wasn’t affiliated with Shield, other than being a victim in a mission that one time. It wasn’t the house they loved, it was people. Audrey was the home they looked forward to at the end of the day.


End file.
